Youth advisory council graphic with pictures and images of young people and washington animals.

We are committed to responding to the feedback and recommendations of the Youth Advisory Council through implementation and action. Activities to honor their feedback are already under way. Check out what we're working on:

Youth Advisory Council Reports
Teen Health Hub WA

Throughout 2023, DOH collaborated with members of the Youth Advisory Council and youth interns and volunteers to cocreate a new DOH webpage just for teens and young adults. Teen Health Hub WA is a curated directory of accurate and reliable health information. This activity is an example of our implementation of the YAC's recommendation for increased access to high quality, accurate and reliable health information for young people.

Check out Teen Health Hub WA in the news!

Screen shot of Teen Health Hub WA. Includes image of logo and various images of young people in Washington landscapes.
Health Care How To: Doctor's Appointments

The Youth Advisory Council recommended that trusted adults and organizations create how to guides on important adolescent health topics and health care navigation. 

Healthcare How To videos: How to Schedule a Doctor's Appointment and How to make sure your appointment stays confidential. These are available and English and Spanish on our YouTube Playlist: Health Care How-Tos for Teens and Young Adults - YouTube
Video thumbnail showing a bear with a green hat.

How to Schedule a Doctor's Appointment: What you Need to Know - Brochure about scheduling a doctor's appointment and telephone script in English and Spanish
Screen capture of brochure about scheduling a doctor's appointment
Health Care How To: Privacy and Confidentiality for Teens

The Youth Advisory Council said young people want to know more about their health care rights, including what health care services they can consent to on their own, and what health information their provider will keep confidential.

Screen capture of poster about teen health care rights and privacy

In response, we've developed several new resources for young people and for youth-serving health care providers:

  • We collaborated with the Adolescent Health Initiative at the University of Michigan Health to develop a Sparks training for youth-serving health care providers in Washington. The training focuses on best practices for understanding and interpreting Washington's minor consent laws and providing confidential care for youth. The free training includes a facilitator's guide, a slide presentation, vignettes to practice what was learned, a handout, and a health care rights poster for youth.  AHI's Sparks: Confidentiality Laws and Minor Consent.

  • We collaborated with the Youth Advisory Council to create a new video called: How to keep your health information confidential. Check it out on our playlist at: Health Care How-Tos for Teens and Young Adults - YouTube

  • Teens, Privacy, and Health Poster about health care rights, digital download - in English and Spanish. 

Health Care How To: Emergency Contraception FAQ
screenshot of the emergency contraception FAQ document

The YAC's Sexual and Reproductive Health Subcommittee worked with experts at DOH to develop a new FAQ about emergency

contraception - also known as Plan B or the "morning after pill". The Subcommittee came up with the idea for an FAQ on this topic, brainstormed questions young people want answers to, and collaborated with DOH staff to research answers to the questions and design the tool, available in English and Spanish.

Health Care How To: Adolescent Well-Visits
Screen capture of brochure about scheduling adolescent well visits.

The YAC and other young people DOH engages with made recommendations to better prepare and explain adolescent well visits to young people. To do this, DOH collaborated with the YAC and the YOuth Voice Volunteers to develop new tools and resources to better support teens, young adults, and their caregivers, parents and providers.

Health Care How To: A Guide to Understanding Eating Disorders 
Screenshot of the guide to understanding eating disorders.

The YAC's Food and Nutrition Subcommittee worked with experts at DOH to develop a new guide to understanding eating disorders. The Subcommittee came up with the idea for an FAQ on this topic, brainstormed questions young people want answers to, and collaborated with DOH staff to research answers to the questions and design the tool. This is available in English and Spanish.

Peer Support Services in Schools

The Youth Advisory Council recommended more information about and access to peer support for behavioral health needs. To respond to this recommendation, we are piloting a new grant type for school-based behavioral health peer support services. These grants ended in 2025. Learn more at: Behavioral Health SBHC Grant Information.

Youth Friendly Care Network

In 2025, DOH collaborated with the YAC to launch a statewide initiative to promote youth-friendly care. The initiative, called the Youth Friendly Care Network, brings youth-serving medical and behavioral providers together to learn more about youth-friendly care and integrate youth-defined care principles and practices into care delivery for teens and young adults. Learn more at Youth Friendly Care Network | Healthier Washington Collaboration Portal

Mini Skills Session: Responding to Youth Loneliness - A Strengths-Based Approach
Four young people holding shoulders looking at the sunset. Responding to Youth Loneliness: A Strengths-Based Approach.

 

 

 

The YAC created a training for youth-serving providers and professionals to help them have more supportive, strengths-based conversations with young people experiencing disconnection.  

The YAC intern led the group for 3 months to co-create the training content in partnership with DOH subject matter experts. AYAH staff then pilot tested it with the Youth Friendly Care Network and DOH colleagues to collect and implement feedback. 

The resulting 30-minute skill session is called Responding to youth loneliness: A strengths-based approach. It helps participants: 

  • Practice using empathy and strengths-based language 
  • Understand how social media may impact a young person’s sense of self 
  • Recognize how loneliness can show up in youth 

The training is designed for providers, professionals, and caring adults who work with adolescents and young adults ages 12–24. No expertise required. 

The session includes perspectives from young people, 3 practice scenarios, discussion questions, reflection time, and resources for more information or help.  

And anyone can lead the session. A facilitator’s script is included in the “notes” section of the power point slides.  

Download the training